The Project Plan

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The Project Plan

The project plan is the culmination of all your activities so far. This is where your planning finally comes together in a comprehensive description of the project and how it will be run. As described in the introduction to this chapter, the project plan is the final result of the planning process.

Writing the project plan should involve little more than assembling pieces that have already been prepared, from text describing the background and nature of the project to charts and diagrams produced from project management software. Many project managers write various sections of the project plan as part of the planning process, so that when the planning is done, so is the plan.

Exhibit 4.24 is a sample table of contents for a project plan. The details, including the Gantt chart, activity descriptions, estimates, and budget, are presented in appendices rather than in the body, which is almost entirely text and small tables. For example, Section 4.4, Estimate and Budget, would simply state the estimate in workdays, perhaps by job classification, and the budget will give just three or four key amounts. The purpose of the body is to provide the reader with a general understanding of the project. The appendices provide the supporting materials for those who need to dig deeper.

The project plan is a working document; it is not deathless prose that will secure its author a place in literary history. It should be short and to the point. In particular, it should accurately reflect how the project will be carried out. The plan should be reviewed by peers who can spot holes and opportunities and help make a good plan even better.

Exhibit 4.24 Sample Project Plan Table of Contents

1. Project Overview

1.1 Project Background

1.2 Stakeholders and Key Participants

1.3 Statement of Work

1.3.1 List of Deliverables

1.3.2 Scope of the Project

1.4 Methodology

2. Risks and Minimization Measures

3. Assumptions and Constraints

3.1 Assumptions

3.2 Constraints

4. Work Plan

4.1 General Approach

4.2 Work Breakdown Structure

4.3 Schedule and Milestones

4.4 Estimate and Budget

4.5 Cash Flow Analysis

4.6 Project Organization and Staffing

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